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Published online before print September 9, 2009
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© by The Society for Leukocyte Biology
Journal of Leukocyte Biology, doi:10.1189/jlb.0609385

Received for publication June 4, 2009.
Revised July 20, 2009.
Accepted for publication July 23, 2009.

Article

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) as major players of the cancer-related inflammation

G. Solinas *, G. Germano *, A. Mantovani * {dagger}, and P. Allavena *@

*Department of Immunology and Inflammation, IRCCS Istituto Clinico Humanitas, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; and{dagger}Department of Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

@ To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: paola.allavena{at}humanitas.it.


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Abstract

Abstract

The microenvironment of solid tumors is characterized by a reactive stroma with an abundance of inflammatory mediators and leukocytes, dysregulated vessels and proteolytic enzymes. TAM, major players in the connection between inflammation and cancer, summarize a number of functions (e.g., promotion of tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis, incessant matrix turnover, repression of adaptive immunity), which ultimately have an important impact on disease progression. Thus, together with other myeloid-related cells present at the tumor site (Tie2 macrophages and MDSCs), TAM represent an attractive target of novel biological therapies of tumors.

Key Words: microenvironment • metastasis • angiogenesis • myeloid cells